After Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Snapchat for exposing minors to harmful content, a national sex abuse watchdog supported the effort – calling the company the “leading platform for predators.”
Paxton sued Snap Inc. – known as Snapchat – for deceiving parents, exposing minors to addictive content, and encouraging “obscene conduct,” he announced February 11.
BREAKING: I'm suing Snapchat for deceiving parents, endangering Texas kids by exposing them to addictive features, and serving as a breeding ground for obscene conduct. pic.twitter.com/7h00Akp8r1
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 11, 2026
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) applauded the suit and called out Snapchat for endangering kids.
“We commend AG Paxton for taking this step to protect the children in his state,” said NCOSE Chief Legal Officer Dani Pinter to The Dallas Express. “Snapchat is the leading platform for predators to sextort and sexually exploit teens. Yet, Snap has never made the changes necessary to protect minors on their platform from these dangers.”
In the suit, Paxton claimed Snapchat “knowingly deceives” consumers about its safety with a 12+ rating on app stores. He added that it exposes children to mature content like sexual conduct, nudity, drug use, and profanity. He also said it has addictive features, like “Snapstreaks” and “Snapscores,” which encourage daily use, as The Dallas Express previously reported.
Pinter said NCOSE agrees with Paxton’s allegations that the platform is dangerous for teens, that Snapchat is aware of dangers and has not taken “reasonable measures” for safety, and the company is “dishonest in the way it communicates (or fails to communicate) the dangers.”
“Dangers that Snap is fully aware of are rampant on their platform,” Pinter told The Dallas Express.
A Snap Inc. media representative – who chose to remain unnamed – told The Dallas Express the company’s officials “strongly disagree” with the suit, and that it “fundamentally distorts how our platform works.”
“There is no single safety measure or policy that can eliminate every potential risk online – just as there isn’t offline,” the representative told The Dallas Express. “That’s why we’ve implemented strong safeguards, introduced safety tutorials and resources, partnered with experts, and continue investing in features and tools that support the safety, privacy, and well-being of all Snapchatters.”
Long-Standing Concerns
Pinter said Snapchat is a powerful tool for predators.
“Snap is particularly dangerous as a tool for predators to locate and contact children and entice them to create child sexual abuse images of themselves that they can then use to further exploit these victims,” Pinter told The Dallas Express.
She also pointed to the app’s disappearing photos feature, saying it gives children a false sense of security that images are not permanent – which is untrue.
“Another dangerous aspect is the way stranger adults can locate children by location and mutual connections and then hide behind anonymity to fool children into thinking they are speaking with another child,” Pinter said, “which allows predators to gain a child’s trust and ultimately exploit them.”
In a statement to The Dallas Express, Snapchat said the app has a different design from most platforms to help people comfortably connect with close friends and family while prioritizing safety and privacy, citing the prominent camera and messaging features.
The company highlighted privacy and safety features such as age protections for users ages 13 to 17, mutual friend matching, content pre-moderation, removal of users under 13, and 24/7 safety teams that work with law enforcement.
Snapchat made the Family Center easier for parents to navigate in January 2026. In April of 2025, the company published a refresher on its Family Safety Hub and an interactive course on online safety.
Snapchat Senior VP of Global Public Policy Jen Stout also published an article in the Austin American-Statesman supporting recent age verification measures.
NCOSE encourages online safety in state and federal policy, while its Law Center uses litigation to hold platforms accountable to victims and survivors, according to Pinter. It also encourages platforms like Snapchat to take voluntary safety measures.
“The TX AG’s lawsuit is consistent with the dangerous and misleading features on the Snapchat platform that we have raised with Snap over the years to no avail,” Pinter told The Dallas Express. “We are encouraged by the growing movement of state AGs taking action to protect their constituents from dangerous tech platforms that have avoided accountability for too long.”
Paxton pledged in a February 11, 2026, press release to protect Texas kids.
“I will not allow Snapchat to harm our kids by running a business designed to get Texas children addicted to a platform filled with obscene and destructive content,” Paxton said.
“Parents have a fundamental right to know the dangers of the apps their kids are using and not be lied to by Big Tech companies. This lawsuit will hold Snapchat accountable for illegally undermining parental rights, deceiving consumers, and for putting children in danger.”
